Sam's Coupe Restoration Discussion Thread

Feel free to make a comment on my progress, tips, ideas, anything!

Comming on mate, gonna keep my eye on it.

You taking it to next meet?

sam its look really good! i look forward to your next post!
quick question . . what paint and primer did you use for the rocker? im guessing they had to be heat resistant. Where did you get them from?
Cheers
Mario

They were all halfords jobbys as i didn't have time to go anywhere else.

The primer

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/store...tegoryId_165495

The red paint i used

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/store...tegoryId_165495

and the lacquer

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/store...tegoryId_165495

its all finished quite well, what was very strange was the different finish i got on the spark plug cover vs the rest of the metal?

very impressed with out the covers come out sam.Well done.

they look great mate, one thing tho, doesnt the primer and lacquer also have to be heat resistant?

Sam, with your AFR gauge..

Did you wire it up as per the guide on here or did you do it by tapping into the black lambda signal wire?

I want to do mine this weekend (gauge has been fitted for months not doing anything) but want to do the latter as I don't fancy messing around with the ecu (I've got bad shakey hands at the moment and dont fancy soldering half the board in the process) and wondered if you'd done it the other way and which cable you actually need to take a 'tap' off?

Your coops looking good btw, much better than mine which I paid £2.3k for

Dan

Looking good Sam can't wait too see it at cosford.

Hi dan,

I did it by tapping of the black lambda signal wire. it took me all of about 3 minuets to splice it and then run it though the wing grommet and then though and in to the door loom

I am not bad at soldering, but like you i didn't want to take a soldering iron anywhere near that one

to be fair, there not a huge amount of use, you only get a ruff idear when its on boost of the fueling. most of the time it just dances between lean and rich
that said, if you are getting red wile on boost, at least you know there is a problem

yeah, dead lambda sensor..

What did you use for splicing into the cable, did you cut it and rejoin it?
Would a standard choccy block surfice or will I need something more beefy... or dare I say it.. use a scotchlock!?

Dan

for a temp measure i used a choccy block, when i have time, and a extension lead ill solder the joints together and then some good old insulation tape

do you want to me take some photos and show you were i run all the cables to and from?

Sam I'm confused, all I can see are pics of spray cans!!!!!

look at the other thread! (its a bit early to start on that vodka isn't it john, we all know what happed last week )

Good you can fill me in on the details later Sam

I'll go check the other post

Looking good Sam...though some of us older ones might have a little chuggle when I say...that orange/red reminds me of my old Morris Ital estate.

I wouldn't mind doing a little work like that myself under the bonnet... maybe once I've hung the new doors for upstairs and fitted new stair and landing carpet, and when the sun comes out, i'll have a go myself...though I'll have to choose a different colour...I cant be reminded of that bloody Ital everytime I lift the lid.

looks like you got a nice finish on it

That would be ace if you could sam, gonna have a go at it today if the weather stays nice

Sam, is there an accepted method for either exposing the 20V FIAT lettering after painting or covering it before painting?

PS hope I didn't offend wih my Ital comment

Sorry was more a reflection on fact colours of that hue remind me I bought one (they were truely awful cars) than a comment on the colour you chose par se...

Dont be silly john, i would perhaps be more offended if i was around when the morris ital estate was in production...or even any of them left on the road! (were showing our ages here )

It was all painted to start off with, i then took a electric sander to the fiat letters, did this with progressively fine paper, and finally went over it with some metal polish.

I have to ask my self if it was worth the effort some times....its only me thats going to ever see it!

hi sam, where abouts do you splice for the air/fuel meter? thanks

I shall go and take the photos this morning! its the black wire running down the loom to th left of the battery
there should b 4 wires 2 grey 1 black and one white....i think

ok, cheers.

Ok, photos have now been edited in to the thread of were i cut the loom and how i fed the cables!

enjoy

just put the boost gauge on sam

read a bit furtherer up, i edited the thread to show the install, i put the BG on on friday but this is the first time i have to upload them from the camrea

found it cheers sam

as above. Cheers Sam

Actually took the plunge and did it yesterday.. ME thinks I might put a switch in on the 12V+... driving home at 3am this morning with that flashing in my face didn't amuse me much! lol..

Excellent sam coming on great!

Sam, how new were the bulbs in your coop?

I ask because when I went for MOT my headlights just about passed due to the brightness. The guy told me its down to the bulbs running very hot and ruinning the silver reflector.

I changed them, and the difference was also like night and day.

You're a brave man to start polishing perspex, I don't think I'd attempt it

I honestly couldn't tell you how old the bulbs were, they didnt look burnt or in bad shape, they were not original as they had blue tips on them, i presume to make it look more white

With the perspex, its hard to go wrong if you follow the guide in the how to section. i would say don't even attempt to polish them by hand. you will be there for hours and im not sure you would get the best finish

i put the air/fuel gauge on yesturday.. thanks sam

i hope my indevers made it a little easier for you mate (thats what its all about at the end of the day)

Sam i'v just read the last post on your restoration thread, and seen the pics. I'm impressed with the lights mate. Mine arn't that bad but i'm going to do them at one point because it makes them look like new, presntaion counts. I'm not into cars with crazy body kits and that, I love a car to look pretty standard but just be super clean inside and out. Less is more is my motto, your lights look amazing. The guide is great too mate.

Good stuff.

Take it thats the end of the project then mate.

I was well intrrested as well.

Sorry to hear thets another one gone.

not sure jim..... tune in tomorrow when i have checked more money at it

[lol] Will do mate, hope you do finish it as you aint had it long. I know about the problems you had, one after another but the car looks too good to be scraped. IMO anyway mate.

Catch you tomarrow mate.

You made your decision yet sam?

well its running at the moment, so thats always a good start!
It went up to CC's this morning after a argument with the break down company, all my cars go up there but one snooty cow this morning said i would have to pay for it if it was over 30 miles.
As soon as i mentioned its got to go to a specialist and if they really wanted i could find one much further away...and there is nothing in the small print regarding recovery to garages and distance....she was happey to accommodate the request.

so its running, nothing more has exploded.....we will see what joe finds

You dont seem to have much luck with coupes do you mate? You must love these things not to give up on em, sorry to hear this sam lad, hope what joe finds isnt too expensive

i got asked that the other day when i asked some one what to do,

the sensible option would be to break it, sell up and get a ford/vahxual put the money in my pocket and get a drug addiction going, perhaps heron?

because god knows that would probably be less damaging to my health, wallet, and friends and family!

if i had NO luck i would be happy, its just i get too much BAD luck

Hope it works out for you mate, it is a shame if it is scrapped. You have just got to know your lImit really, if it was me would my love for the coupe cloud my judgement? Probably, hope it goes well at joe's mate.

Everytime you look at that black beauty, it probably keeps your motivation up

im feeling a bit more love for it, that has to be said.

I just cant love it till the alloys are refurbed and the body is sprayed